We are in the kingdom of heaven now.

This is a startling thought. At first glance it may arouse skepticism or downright disbelief. But there is no other kingdom. Living in a peaceful environment surrounded by natural beauty, we may be able to accept this fact more easily than if we live in a concrete jungle with ugly buildings always in view, factories belching out smoke, and streets swept by noisy traffic. But both scenes are misconceptions of reality.

There is only one universe. It is wholly spiritual, and as God's ideas we are in it—or, rather, it is in us. When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, Christ Jesus said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." ^{Luke 17:20, 21;}

Regardless of the picture presented by the material senses, the kingdom of heaven is here and now. This is a changeless fact. To human sense, it is an amazing fact. Accepted, it startles thought out of lethargy and out of resigned acceptance of sickness and squalor and ugliness and woe as real. It inspires one to begin the prayerful work and study that will progressively unfold this real, spiritual kingdom in consciousness and bring its harmonies into one's experience.

"All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all" ^{Science and Health, p. 468;} is one of the arresting assertions Mrs. Eddy makes in "the scientific statement of being" given in Science and Health. The acceptance of this revolutionary truth changes the whole basis of one's thought. It shows that, despite the evidence of the five physical senses, true being is spiritual. The universe consists of spiritual ideas. This includes the identity falsely pictured as a material body. And the understanding of spiritual truth gives one progressive mastery of the material body.

The perception that one's real identity is not a physical entity but a spiritual idea, which cannot be damaged, suffer accident, or be sick, corrects whatever seems to be wrong with the human body, healing by mental, spiritual means—the only proper means. For only by casting out of consciousness the false belief in physical discord and replacing it with the true idea of spiritual harmony can scientific, permanent healing be assured.

Christian Science restores the true sense of things, the spiritual sense, whereby the kingdom of heaven comes to light. This process of restoration, or unfoldment, is not sudden. It may indeed be slow. But it is irresistible and inevitable and is manifested in outward signs of more harmonious human conditions.

An Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, refers to a stage of progress that must someday come: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." ^{Isa. 11:6;} The achievement of the kingdom of heaven comes in stages, but it is a natural process, not an unnatural one. Does not Christ Jesus' promise "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" ^{Matt. 5:5;} indicate a state or stage of human understanding less than the full demonstration of spiritual being or consciousness? And can't we expect each progressive transitional stage to make world conditions on the whole more desirable, freer from sickness, oppression, aggression, and kindred errors?

Sometimes when the flesh has been severely subdued, or when spontaneous inspiration has uplifted thought, we catch glimpses of the real, spiritual universe behind the false, material presentation that clouds it from human sight. And as we seek to hold thought fast to this view, we will inevitably bring more of spiritual reality into our lives. We will pray with joyful assurance of the great truth set forth in Mrs. Eddy's interpretation of the third line of the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present."  ^{Science and Health, p. 16.}